NEW YORK — Dan Rather going Hollywood?

There were gasps of surprise at ABC's fall-schedule announcement this week when the veteran TV newsman popped up as an actor in clips for "Dirty Sexy Money," a new drama about a wealthy, misbehaving New York family.

The role wasn't exactly a stretch. Rather plays a reporter at a fancy dinner party pressing a politician, portrayed by William Baldwin, about his future political plans.

Rather initially said no when the show's executive producer and director, Peter Horton, called to ask if he'd be interested. Newspeople occasionally pop up in fictional settings, like CNN's Christiane Amanpour on Tuesday's "Gilmore Girls" series finale, but it is frowned upon at CBS News — his former home for decades — and Rather had never done it.

Then he gave it a second thought. It might be an easy way to remind people that he's still working, with his own weekly news show on HD Net.

True to his nature, he did some research, and found that past TV news icons Eric Sevareid, Howard K. Smith and Walter Cronkite had done some film and television work.

"I did say to myself, no matter what the others had done, what do you think?" he said. "And I thought, at this age and stage of my career, what the hell."

He showed up in a tuxedo one night a few months ago for filming in New York. Nailed his lines in two takes.

Rather, 75, hasn't seen the pilot yet. If the network hadn't picked up the series, his work would never have been seen.